Brothers in Arms
by TheFifthCharmedOne
Summary: "He sacrificed himself. For me." Fred choked, staring down at his brother's lifeless form. "Oh, Perce, why?" - In an effort to make up for his mistakes, Percy sacrifices himself for Fred. - AU BattleofHogwarts.


Brothers in Arms

By: TheFifthCharmedOne

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Summary: "He sacrificed himself. For me." Fred choked, staring down at his brother's lifeless form. "Oh, Perce, why?" - In an effort to make up for his mistakes, Percy sacrifices himself for Fred. - AU BattleofHogwarts.

Written for: the "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Challenge" on HPFC.

Prompt: Nicolas Flamel. Write about a character who discovers something about another character.

-X-X-X-

"You're actually joking Perce! I haven't heard you joke since you were-" Fred was grinning, like usual, but Percy's eyes were wide with terror. The wall that Fred was standing beside was crumbling and falling...falling..._no!_

"Fred - look out!" Percy propelled himself forward and shoved his brother out of the way of the wall. Cinderblock came down on him hard and fast. He barely felt the pain though, all he really felt was a bitter victory.

"PERCY!" he heard Fred howl, but that was the last thing he registered before the entire world went black.

-X-X-X-

"Bill...Charlie...Fred...George...Ron...Ginny..." Molly gasped. "Where's Percy?!" she cried, fear etched into her voice. She looked around the Great Hall, where the bodies of the dead were being assembled.

"He's...gone, Mum." George said brokenly, fresh tears crusting over his eyes. A new body was levitated into the Hall, and Molly recognized her third child immediately. The Weasleys all ran to their fallen brother and son.

"He sacrificed himself. For me." Fred choked, staring down at his brother's lifeless body. "Oh, Perce, why?"

"Percy!" Molly wailed, holding her boy. Arthur tried to maintain a brave face, but anyone that knew him could see that he was hurting.

"Mrs. Weasley?" Harry walked over to them and his face drained of color when he saw who they were mourning. "Oh God..." Ginny went to him and they held each other, Harry blaming himself and Ginny trying desperately to understand. Their broken relationship didn't mean anything in that moment - they needed each other.

The next week, Fred finally plucked up some courage and went to his older brother's bedroom. Everything was perfectly in place - he almost laughed. He used to tease Percy for his meticulousness, but now he'd do anything to have his stuck-up brother back.

He stood in the center of the room, trying to see if he could find any remnants of Percy in here. He'd spent almost all of his time here when they were young, and even after he'd left the family to work for the Ministry, there should be something, _anything _left.

He walked over to Percy's desk, where the chair was well worn and the wood paneling had some scratches in it - probably from Perce's fingernails when he was angry or upset. Once there, he discovered a small piece of paper sticking out of the top drawer to the left. His curiosity got the better of him, so he took the paper. It was folded into three, so he opened it and began to read.

_Dear Mum:_

_Yes, I am aware that addressing it to Mum is pointless, because this is a death note and I do not even know if it will be needed, or if anyone will come into my room after I've died to see it, however some things just had to be said. _

_Regardless of my previous behavior and words I deeply regret saying, I love all of you - Mum, Dad, Bill, Charlie, Fred, George, Ron, and Ginny. You are all deeply important to me, in a way that no one else could ever be. I may have made many mistakes in the way I treated you, but I never stopped caring for any of you. In my mind, working for the Ministry was the right choice because there was no way Voldemort could have returned - no way that the Minister could be wrong - so I wanted someone to blame. It was wrong, I know that now, and I sincerely apologize for any problems I've caused. _

_To my dear Penelope, if I'm gone and you're reading this, then that means you've survived. Don't cry, my love. I want you to be happy. If it were a choice between you and Audrey, I would have chosen you. Every. Single. Time. I love you. _

_If I'm not dead and someone's reading this - _**_Fred or George _**_- I'll make you regret it! _

_However, if I am gone and someone beside Mum has found this, then I hope you know that everything written here was with good intent and the most honesty I think I can portray. _

_With all my love,_

_Percival Weasley_

Fred touched the ink where his brother had written his name, and felt tears coming to his eyes again. He still didn't have any answers. Why had Percy sacrificed himself? Was it out of regret for his past mistakes? He supposed he'd never know.

"Forge?" Fred turned to see his twin standing in the doorway. "What are you doing in here?"

"Looking for something. Something that will remind me of him." Fred said. He hid the letter behind his back.

"Mum wants us to go to the reading of the will. He left it with the Minister." George took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Fred could tell his twin had been crying. Fred crossed the room and hugged his brother. No words were necessary as George clung to him for a few moments. "I just thank God I didn't lose you too, Freddie." he whispered softly.

"I know Georgie, I know." Fred said, choking on the tears he was trying desperately not to shed. "Percy saved me, and for that, I'll always be grateful." He pulled away from George and turned to look around the room again. "Thank you, Perce."

The wind blew through the open window, and Fred smiled for the first time in over a week. He could feel his big brother's presence. That made everything okay. Not good, just okay.

_I love you Percy. _

-X-X-X-

A/N: So this one was a bit more difficult to write, but I managed to make it work, I think. I'd always wondered what would have happened if Percy had sacrificed himself to save Fred.

Hope you guys enjoyed it!

-Charmy


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